Broken Strings
by ImThatTypeOfGirl
Summary: Set at some point during the course of Assassin's Creed II: A young beggar woman sheltering from the rain gets the surprise of her life when she is whisked away into a whirlwind of excitement with none other than Ezio Auditore da Firenze. But her horrible past begins to catch up with her...is Ezio the way out? Rated T for swearing and sexual themes. Long ONE-SHOT with Ezio x OC


**A/N: Hi! Yes, I haven't died, I've been working on this for AGES this week :) So my sister has finally got around to playing AC: Revelations and seeing the games again inspired me to write this :D It's set in Florence, or Firenze, and centers around my OC girl with a nasty backstory. Obviously, she needs a little Ezio lovin'! :D xx Hope you enjoy it! Please leave a review, it'd mean a lot x**

**Also, I need to mention that in parts of the story the main character IS having a conversation with herself, bewteen two conflicting emotions that lead her actions and everything she does. Usually, she listens to her sensible side, but when Ezio's around... ;D**

**Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed and it's characters aren't mine...though if I could only choose one to steal you'd know who I'd pick ;) x**

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**BROKEN STRINGS  
**

It was one of the rare days in Firenze when the sky was filled with ominous grey clouds and angry rumbles of thunder shook the buildings. Fat raindrops thudded against the dry pathways and slate rooftops, turning dust to mud and dislodging tiles. Guards huddled under low strung canopies, trying their best to look respectable despite the fact they were soaked through. The rain got heavier, bouncing off of buildings and creating huge puddles in the once-dry alleyways.

It was in one of these sludgy, back street passages that a young woman was huddled. She sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, head resting against the wall of a stone alcove. The alcove was filled mostly by a wrought-iron gate to someone's back garden, where the lone tree was getting battered by the downpour. There was barely enough space for her to fit on the step, her right-side leaning against the cold metal bars.

She could have been very pretty, but years of living on the streets had made her skin rough and calloused, and her face was lightly scarred in several places. She had thick auburn curls, untidy and dripping wet due to the incessant rain that had leaked in under the alcove. Had her lids been open, one would have noticed her silvery grey eyes, hardened over time with the burdens no-one as young as her should have to bear. Her high cheekbones were bruised and her skin was burnt badly in numerous places along her arms and hands, perhaps due to prolonged sun exposure.

She shuffled her bare feet across the step, leaving tiny trails of crimson blood swirling in the puddles made by the rain in the dips in the stonework. Her feet looked the worse; the bottoms were burnt, dirty and bleeding due to her rough life on the street. She had run from guards, drunks – and worse, gangs. A feeble thing like her, weak from exhaustion and hunger, stood no chance with a large group of well-muscled young men looking for a little fun.

She wished things had happened differently, because the scars on her body were nothing compared to the ones in her mind. No-one had experienced what she had, seen what she had seen. She had been made to watch as her whole family was burned alive. An accident, they called it. Such a terrible shame, they said. What would happen to the girl who had survived? Would someone take her in, look after her after what she had been through?

No.

They had made sure no-one wanted the traumatised young woman, and then thrown her into the streets like waste. They made sure her name would never be spoken again, that she would die hungry, ashamed, and very much alone.

"Lilliana," she whispered to herself, over and over again, the repeated word drowned out by the clatter of rain against stone. No-one knew the name but her; their plan had worked and she was just another beggar lining the path. Nobody realised who she was – or at least, who she used to be. Maybe it was better that way? She could disappear; become just another shadow hiding from the sun.

She opened her eyes, looking out of her little alcove at the muddy street. The rain came down heavier and heavier, crackles of lightning tearing across the black sky. She watched with little interest as small group of heavily-armed guards appeared in the alley, surrounding a man with dark grey robes and a red cap. Even from here, even though it was raining hard, she could make out the glint of a gold and red cross on a long chain that had slipped free from underneath his cape. She swore under her breath as she caught a glimpse of the robed man's face and the memories came flooding back like a dam breaking, tumbling over one another to reach her first.

"_Watch, you filthy cow!" the man's voice sounded loud in her ears, over the snapping flames and crackle of burning wood. She screamed out, hearing her family's dying cries coming from inside the building. She squeezed her eyes shut; she didn't want to see this. _

"_Stop! We can still save – "_

"_Do you see what you've done? See? LOOK AT THEM!" he drew his knife across her collarbone, bursting the skin and spattering blood across her cream-coloured dress. She gasped out in pain, her eyes flickering open to take in the flames eating away at her home – and her family trapped inside._

"_No! _Per favore,_ stop! We have done nothing to you!"_

"_Oh really?" he almost laughed. "You have associations inside that league of Assassins, do you not? You shelter their wounded? Any friend of theirs is an enemy of mine!"_

She remembered his red cross clearly, reflecting the flames destroying everything she loved. That red cross was etched into her memory, like the scars he had left on her skin. She had vowed that one day she would find that man, and when she did she would make him pay for what he had done. But here, now, she was starved of food and aching with sores. She could barely lift her arm, let alone a sword.

She had thought him dead; but there he was, surrounded by guards as he rushed through the alley and out of the downpour. She clenched her fists, her broken fingernails carving indents into the palm of her hand. She muttered a string of atrocious curse words and wished with all her might she had the strength to strike him down where he stood.

"_Then why leave me alive?" she cried out, the tears running down her cheeks and making tiny pale streaks through the ash on her face. "Why not kill me as well? I help the Assassins too – they're the only ones who ever made a difference in this hell hole of a city!"_

_She felt the sting of his palm as it struck her face. His fingers grabbed her chin and swung her head to face his. She found a cruel sneer there, and eyes that screamed malice. "I keep you alive, my dear, for one simple reason: it is enjoyable to watch another's life devastated before their eyes. Don't you think so?"_

_She shrieked out in protest. "Stop this, _per favore_! _Per favore_!"_

"_The Assassins will soon cease in their futile schemes when they see the innocents they're hurting," the man continued, throwing her on to the ground in front of her blazing home. Hardly able to breathe through the smoke and her tears, Lilliana merely sat there, her screams of agony visible on her face but the actual sounds were silent now._

In the blink of an eye, the man who had taken her entire life from her was gone; washed away in the rain. She shivered, her anger dying, the tears she had bottled up for so long easing down her cheeks and under her chin. She still wore the same dress, dirty beige now, the bloodstains paler and less obvious. She ran her fingers over the scar on her collarbone, feeling the puckered skin wet with tears. She rubbed them away, huddling closer to the bars of the gate.

Eyes now half-closed as her sorrows came flooding back, she watched a procession of guards move past, a very high ranking general leading the group. They must have been accompanying the robed man in front, protecting him on his journey. She shivered and stared at the heavily armed soldiers as they strode through the passage.

What happened next was so quick she could scarcely believe her eyes.

The four guards behind the general crumpled to the ground as multiple knives buried themselves in their chests in rapid succession, a mere glint of silver flashing through the air before they were dead. The general looked about himself in shock, turning to look back down the alleyway.

"Show yourself!" he shouted over the rain. He scanned the small square they had just come from and spotted a few black silhouettes. "Guards, to me!"

The general failed to turn in time to notice an equally armoured man drop into the mud behind him. This man was hiding several deadly weapons about his person; Lilliana catching sight of multiple dagger hilts and sheaths as he moved. Under layers of thick brown leather armour, detailed with intricate silver patterns, was a hooded robe of white and red. The hood was pulled up, against the rain or to cover his face she did not know. Hanging down the side of his left arm and ending just below his waist was a red and white cape.

She had not seen a man dressed this way in a long while.

He was an Assassin.

She watched, stunned, as the Assassin strode towards the general, the tails of his white robe now a murky brown as they were splashed with wet mud. The Assassin reached the general and in one swift movement, snapped his neck. He fell forward, face-first, into the dirt.

Lilliana couldn't help it; she started screaming. She knew what Assassins were and what they did, but to see it with her own eyes was terrifying.

The Assassin looked up, hearing a round of guards approaching from the entrance of the alleyway and her horrified shrieks giving him away. Lilliana's cries got even louder as he sprinted towards her, ducking into her alcove and picking her up off of the step with two strong hands. He muffled her screams with one and laughed quietly.

"Shh!" he said, a grin spreading across his face. "Do you want all of Italy to hear you, _signorina_?"

Lilliana's eyes widened, her yelps subsiding behind his hand. To fit into the narrow alcove he had had to come right up against her, his muscled arm pressed heavily against the iron gate so that he would be completely cloaked in shadow. She got a good look at his face – they were, after all, practically nose-to-nose.

He had dark brown hair, so dark she wasn't sure if it was black or not, that was swept into a low ponytail at the nape of his neck. His face was all the right angles and he had soft hazel eyes, twinkling with mirth - but there was something shadier that lay behind them which she couldn't put a finger on. A small near-vertical scar carved a pale path through the stubble on his face, just above and to the left of his upper lip.

He was decidedly handsome - and with determining that fact she had just become very aware of how tightly his body was pressed up against hers. When he laughed she could feel his stomach muscles tighten and release, and to her dismay she found she was blushing as bright as the reddest rose.

The pair spent ten very awkward (for Lilliana, not for the Assassin) minutes in the alcove while the guards dragged away their comrades corpses and scouted out the area. But, luckily for the Assassin, hiding in plain sight was a better idea than to have run away. The storm, however, was not going anywhere quick and threw another handful of lightning down upon Firenze once more.

When it became apparent the soldiers in the alley had no intention of leaving until they had sorted everything out, Lilliana gently pulled the Assassin's hand from her mouth and breathed in a deep lungful of moist air. When she turned back to look at him he was fiddling with the lock on the gate; a small silver blade appearing from his gauntlet to twist around inside the wrought iron catch.

She stared at him, incredulous. "What are you_ doing_? We can't go in there! Are you _insane_?!"

He smirked at her from underneath his hood as a tiny click sounded and the iron gate swung inward, gaining them access to the garden beyond. He beckoned her to follow and she gingerly made her way into the small courtyard, the rain not quite so heavy in the shadow of the surrounding buildings. There were a few windows on the walls here but they were all boarded up to keep out the storm, so they had very little chance of being spotted. A large tree stood in the middle of a square of grass, a few of its leaves broken off by the incessant downpour.

Lilliana rushed to stand under the tree, out of the rain, as her ragged old dress was already damp with the shower she had received when she had run to shelter in the alcove. She watched the Assassin slowly make his way over to stand with her, the corners of his mouth still twitched up into that same irritating smirk. She turned away from him as soon as he leaned against the trunk with her.

"Is this the thanks I get for keeping you dry?" he laughed.

"You broke into someone's garden!" she objected, still facing away from him. Her heart was pounding; if she turned around she might lose herself in those hazel eyes. She needed to keep a level head.

"I did," he admitted, and she jumped as she felt his warm palm on her bare shoulder. "But you did not have to follow me, _signorina_."

She didn't know what to say. He was right; she could've stayed behind in her alcove and they would have parted ways. At the thought she let out a little gasp; she barely knew him and yet he tugged at her heartstrings like a long-lost lover. Her cheeks grew hot as she realised he still had his hand on her shoulder. Then a shard of ice shot down her spine and she wriggled free of his gentle grasp. What was she doing? He was a trained killer! Flee! Run away from this place and never see him ever again!

She tried to calm herself down, breathing deeply and wringing her hands. She wanted to get to know him; she knew she shouldn't. She was attracted to him; he could kill her at any second. Why was it so difficult for her to just say _no_? She should be running away and yet she had barely moved from the courtyard!

"Perhaps an _introduzione_ is in order?" he said, and she sighed. _To hell with this_, she thought and turned round to face him, smiling.

"I am Ezio Auditore," he grinned, bowing low.

"My name – " she broke off, biting down on her words as they tried to leave her lips. What was she doing? She had never told anyone her name in a _long_ time. It was almost like giving away part of herself, the part she had always kept so secret. He was a stranger – and an Assassin at that! Should she lie? _Stop it,_ she scolded herself. _This is just stupid; it's only your name for god's sake! Tell him, it's not like you're ever going to see him after this. _At that, again, her heart skipped a beat and she groaned internally.

"Your name?" he prompted.

"My name is Lilliana Abandonato," she said, her palms clammy. Ezio swept up one of them and kissed the back; she flushed and tried to hide her smile.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, _Signorina_ Abandonato," he chuckled, releasing her hand. "Why is a _bella donna_ like you out here on the street?"

She gulped. Should she tell him at all? Maybe he'd be put off by the length of it. "It's a long story."

Ezio glanced out at the alleyway from whence he'd came; several patrols of guards were now scuttling about the muddy path, shouting to one another from each end. The general's corpse had been removed and another high-ranking officer stood in his place, barking orders to his troops. The Assassin returned his gaze to her and laughed. "I have the time."

She was taken aback. He actually wanted to hear it! "_Va bene allora_," she said, letting go of all her doubts and fears. Who cared anymore? She was a nobody; it wasn't like that was ever going to change. Resting her back against the trunk of the tree she glimpsed him do the same, and they both stared out through the alcove to the busy passage beyond.

"My_ padre, _my father, was a doctor and he had a kind heart," she began, closing her eyes and feeling the rain mist between the leaves of the tree and settle on her lashes. This story had been buried deep in her heart and now she was finally digging it up a heavy weight seemed to lift off her shoulders. "He was married to my _madre_, my mother and they had six children. I was the third eldest. I had two older brothers, two younger brothers and one younger sister. My older brothers and I would often help my father in his clinic, tending to his patients who had severe body injuries. I learned how to cleanse the wounds, patch them up, set casts so broken limbs would fix in the right places, that sort of thing. My little brothers and sister were not yet ready to deal with such work yet so I had to take care of them along with my mother, and then finish up in the clinic with my father. It was hard work, but I enjoyed it. It gave me purpose, _sai_? I was home-schooled, but I was never really interested in what the tutor had to say."

Ezio had turned to face her now, the right side of his body leaning against the tree. His brow was furrowed as Lilliana continued her story, tears welling up underneath her closed lids as her family came crashing back. They were so happy, so close. Now they were gone…and she was still here, with only her memories keeping them alive.

"One day we were closing up shop when my dad lit a candle and gathered my family around the dining table. He had blocked up all the windows and stuffed rags along the cracks under the door and windowpanes. He sat us down and told us that what he was about to say was secret and we were to tell no-one else. He had promised the Assassins _sanctuario_ at our home, that if they were ever wounded or needed a place to stay, they were welcome here. They were to enter through the back window, and if unable to, the grate in through the basement. At first my family protested, but we were all well aware of the excellent work they did around the city so eventually we came to agree with my father. I was so excited when the first Assassin arrived."

Lilliana now had Ezio's full attention.

"He wasn't rude, but he barely spoke. He stayed a night, did not eat, and was gone by morning. It continued like this for a while with each Assassin, until our first wounded came. He was in pretty bad shape, a serious gash running the length of his back. He'd probably been struck by a sword from behind. My father wasn't in and my brothers and I tried the best we could, but…he didn't make it. Four hooded men came to collect his body from our door at dawn. We didn't have many Assassins after that for a while, but then they started appearing again. This time we could handle their wounds and it was almost like a second, shadier business. It wasn't like we were doing anything wrong but we knew if we were caught there would be terrible consequences."

Lilliana wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks and went on, her voice cracking. Ezio had lost his playful grin and was watching her intently, taking in every word she spoke.

"And there was, _horrific_ consequences. When the Templars found out about my father they came to our home in the middle of the night, and they had cleared everyone from the street saying there was a fire. But there wasn't, not yet. The guards bound and gagged my family and left them sitting on my parents' bed, and dragged me outside to watch as they…"

She broke of, sobs racking her throat. She turned away from Ezio and he did the same, respectfully.

"I suppose you blame the Assassins for what happened to your family," he said, slowly.

She glanced up, her eyes as grey as the sky. "You think I would, but I don't. If anything, I almost respect them more. I believed in what they were doing, and I only ever accused the Templars for the events that followed. My family knew what we were doing and were prepared for the trouble to come, but I don't think we ever thought that…"

She knew she was babbling, trying to get rid of her tears. She didn't want to cry anymore, to walk the streets as a shadow. She wanted to _do _something. She wanted _revenge_. The word tasted sweet in her mouth. At once her tears vanished, and her eyes turned as stormy as Firenze that day. Ezio was an Assassin, wasn't he? He could…do something, right? She'd seen what he was capable of. The idea began to form in her mind, growing and gathering momentum.

"Ezio, you – " she began, but was cut short. Their heads snapped up as angry shouts sounded from the alleyway ahead of them. A guard had found their hiding place and was running toward them, his sword raised. In one swift movement Ezio scooted forward, his blade through the guard's chest and the body flung over his shoulder into the grass. He turned to Lilliana, grinning.

"We should go."

"Where?!" she cried out, panicking, looking about for an escape as the next group of guards charged through the passageway. Her eyes landed on Ezio's face. The annoying smirk was back.

"Up," he raised his eyebrows and grinned. The realisation struck.

"Are you kidding?!" She hissed, her eyes flickering to the surrounding walls. "I can't climb that!"

She felt his hands wind around her waist and pull her forward so her hips bounced against his; his nose was pressed to hers, her breath caught in her throat.

"But I can."

The guards had made it into the courtyard now, but Ezio and Lilliana were already at the far wall.

He turned to face her, grinning. "You will want to hold on."

Looking back at the guards advancing on them, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gasped out in surprise as he started scaling the wall – while carrying her on his back!And it was_ raining! _By the time the patrol had reached the bottom of the wall, Ezio was nearing halfway. Lilliana, safely out of the reach of the guards, turned her attention to the Assassin. She was awed by his incredible upper arm strength; she could feel his muscles moving tirelessly underneath his robes. She blushed, again, and internally reprimanded herself.

"You shouldn't feel this way!_"_ Her sensible side stepped up. "Stop this; you're going to go separate ways afterwards!"

"But I don't know him," her other, more reckless half of her mind snapped back. "Surely you could let yourself feel like this, _especially_ if you're never going to see him again. You can't get your heart ripped out twice."

"Don't be so sure, smartass."

She remembered she had made up a split personality for herself when she had first walked the streets without a home; it was easier to think of her emotions as other people, with problems she could help with like they weren't her own. She had always told herself to listen to Sensible as it always knew best, but occasionally her Reckless side got the better of her.

_Why am I even thinking about this now?! I'm going insane_, Lilliana thought, groaning.

"You alright?" Ezio's voice sounded from in front of her.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "_Si_ - but shouldn't I be asking _you_ that?"

He chuckled. "I am fine. We are at the top; you are going to climb over, _capisce_?"

Lilliana nodded. "Okay."

With much difficulty, Lilliana managed to hook her legs around his waist and slide up his back, pushing off his shoulder and up onto the roof. He shortly followed, his well-practised hands finding grooves in the seemingly smooth walls. When he was finally standing next to Lilliana on the rooftop, he found her staring out across the stormy city, her eyes wide.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

She raised a finger toward the group of heavily armed guards running across the tiled roofs, bellowing infuriated curse words. "I think they're pissed."

Ezio laughed, drawing a long blade from somewhere under his robes. "Do not worry; this will only take_ un_ _minuto_."

Lilliana watched him move out into the open, where the five men quickly surrounded him. The first to make a move was the first dead, the sword straight through his stomach and spattering blood into the puddles on the roof. The rain was battering down, but slightly less heavy than before. The thunder was noticeably quieter, and the lightning seemed to crackle further away. The storm was definitely dying.

The next man to strike out at Ezio lost an arm and then his head. The other three glanced at each other, their eyes wavering between anxiety and anger. Another stepped forward and Ezio brought his sword up to block the guard's, so that the clash of steel against steel rang out as loud and fierce as the lightning. With a few swift steps and some fancy blade work, the next man was staggering backward with his own sword through his gut. He crumpled to the ground, a moan of agony escaping his lips with his final breath.

"A challenge, _per favore_!" sneered the Assassin, and final two men ran forwards. The first got caught up in the Ezio's sword, but the second scuttled past him and –

With a jolt Lilliana realised he was heading straight for her. It was all too familiar; drowsy and unprepared, he had seized her arms and led her away from her family, outside into the shadows. A red cross, glinting in dark…

Taking a step back, Lilliana waited until the guard was almost too close before she brought her leg up and kicked his sword from his outstretched hand with a sharp twist of her ankle. Running forward, she dropped onto the roof tiles, slick with rain, and swept up his sword from where it had fallen. Now behind him, she brought an arm slamming into his lower back and he dropped forward onto his knees.

"I cannot move!" he shouted. "What have you done? Witchcraft!"

"No, not witchcraft," she said, hatred burning in her eyes. "Just the simple study of the human body." With an angry hiss she drew the blade across his throat and he slumped forward, crimson liquid spattering everywhere, including her hands and face.

The fire in her heart dying and the light fading from her eyes, she dropped forward onto her knees. Letting the sword fall into the pooling blood and pressing her fists into her eyes, she fought back tears. What had she just done? She had killed a man. Murdered him. She was no better than the men who had done that to her family. No! Her family were innocent, this guard, he worked for the Templars! It was all so confusing, she just didn't understand anymore.

Lilliana glanced up to see Ezio finishing off the final guard and turn to where she was curled on the ground, the dead man next to her. He came and crouched beside her, his face soft with a smile.

"How old are you?"

The question surprised her. She rubbed away her tears and answered: "_Ventuno_, twenty-one."

"Those were some impressive moves; were you ever trained?"

She nodded. "My father taught my brothers a little combat, and I persuaded them to teach me. I wasn't supposed to know how to fight, but I wanted to be able to hold my own."

Ezio nodded. "Come on, we should get moving."

Picking herself up off the ground, still a little nauseas and dazed, Lilliana followed the Assassin across the rooftops until they came to a small rectangular structure with strips of cloth covering the gaps on each side. Lilliana wasn't really paying attention to where they were, or the relenting rain soaking into her hair and already damp clothes. She was worried she had become a monster – was it murder when the guard had attacked her first? She'd never done anything that impressive before. It was just that he looked so much like the guard who had restrained her that night her family had been killed…

"Lilliana?" Ezio's voice roused her from her thoughts. "Did you hear me?"

"No, sorry," she shook her head, embarrassed.

"We will stay here until the storm passes," he said, gently lifting her into the box. Pushing the cloth out of her face, she could see the floor was lined with straw and there were several bundles of extra fabric littering the floor - but it wasn't very spacious. Ezio joined her in the confined room and stretched out as best he could, his hands behind his head. She was curled up next to him, practically pressed up against his side. She tried to shuffle away, uncomfortable. He chuckled.

"Well, isn't _this_ cosy," he smirked.

Her expression wasn't what he was expecting. She was looking at him, dismayed. He frowned and sat up, going to ask her what was wrong when he felt the twinge in his side.

"You're bleeding," she whispered, staring at the blossoming patch of scarlet on his robes.

She had pictured him so strong, so amazing, so…_invincible_. How had this happened? Her heart fluttered around inside her chest as she stared at him, stunned. It took quite a while for her to register the little voice inside her head screaming: "You've been trained as a doctor, you know how to fix this! Hurry up! Do something!"

"So I am," he said casually, but the pain flashing across his face gave away the severity of his injury.

"We need to get your clothes off," Lilliana blurted, blushing furiously. "Then I can treat your wounds."

Ezio raised an eyebrow, his smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "A little impatient, are we not?"

She rolled her eyes, helping him to stand up. He was trying his best to look relaxed, but she could see how sore the wound was for him every time he moved. When he was on his feet, he began removing his gauntlets as she attempted to unbuckle his chest armour. After a few moments she exhaled in frustration.

"Do you_ weld _this on?"

"It is meant to stay on, not fall off. There is a reason why it is called armour."

"It's not advisable to piss off your doctor, _Assassino_."

After a long time struggling, sweating and a lot of swearing, Lilliana managed to strip Ezio of his outer clothing until he was left facing her with only brown leather trousers on. She tried to hide her blush. He was incredibly well-muscled, both on his abdomen, chest and upper arms. In fact, he was well-muscled _everywhere_. She could feel the heat rising in her body and ran a hand through her wet hair, trying not to stare. _Keep it together Lilliana_, she thought. _There's a reason he's almost naked, remember._

"Yes, but it's not the one you were hoping for," her rebellious side piped up, sniggering.

Sensible rolled its representational eyes. "Shut it."

She turned him round so she could get a good look at his side, where she had carefully pulled his robes away from the skin. A seriously deep gouge was visible underneath the blood oozing out through it, and she winced. She hadn't seen anything this bad in a long while.

"_Acqua_," she said. "We need water."

"There is a container under my robes; it should be full," Ezio answered, grinning. She raised an eyebrow at him as she went to fetch it, and he laughed. "What? Just because I am getting undressed and you're not."

Gathering some spare cloth from the corners of the box, she tore off some trips and soaked them in the water before cleaning out the gouge. Ezio's grin only faltered once, when she removed the small bits of material from the edges of the gash and his face twisted momentarily in pain. Once she'd finally got rid of all the excess blood - mostly on to her hands and dress - she removed a small needle and wire from the underside of her hem, which she kept for herself for emergencies.

Very carefully she sewed up the wound, tying the wire in knot at the end and biting off the extra. She then took another roll of thinner cloth for a bandage. Padding out the area of the actual wound itself, she then held it in place with several strips of material, which she wound around Ezio's torso multiple times.

She flushed as her fingers moved across his defined physique, the skin warm under her cold hands. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she wrapped her arms around his chest to secure it at the back with a tight knot. When she tried to pull away, however, his hands on her waist made her freeze. The heat rushed to her face and she didn't dare look up into his eyes. What should she do? She was practically immobilized, her heart leaping around like crazy inside her chest. She felt his fingers move round her midriff to the small of her back and then dance along the length of her spine, up to her neck. Her skin was tingling; her breath was caught in her throat. She leaned forward, putting her head against his bare chest and breathing out slowly. His fingers caressed her neck now, moving up through into her hair. She shivered, acutely aware of her arms still around his waist. He pressed his thumbs under her jaws and titled her head upwards to look at him.

"_Sono molto grato_," he murmured. "Thank you for fixing me up."

"No problem," she whispered in reply, her breath hitching in her throat; she was drowning in his hazel eyes.

His hands disappeared from in her hair and slipped down her neck, pushing the straps of her dress further down her shoulders until it landed in a damp heap on the floor around her ankles. She took a step forward, closing the gap between them. She reached up with her arms and laced them around his neck, her fingers pulling out his ponytail and grasping locks of hair in each hand. Ezio leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers.

Lilliana pushed back, her heart racing when they broke apart. She could feel her stomach pressed tightly against his own, his muscles stirring against her skin; he was surprisingly warm and she unusually cold. She kissed back, more passionately this time, her nails digging into his scalp. Surprisingly, he pulled away.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked, and she laughed.

"You'd stop? I didn't think you were the type."

"Well, not usually, but – "

She silenced him with a finger. "I thought I warned you: it's not advisable to piss off your doctor, _Assassino."_

He chuckled, and grabbed her by the lower back as she kissed him again. Outside the wooden structure the storm began to fade into the distance, the sky becoming its usual soft shade of blue and the sun reappearing from where it had hidden during the course of the tempest. The puddles left in dips and hollows of pavements and roofs sparkled in the new golden rays, and the residents of Firenze began to mill about on their daily tasks as usual once again. Boarded windows were opened up and people began to return to the street, stalls re-opened as well as the usual shops.

"I'm glad you went for it," Reckless said smugly, content now.

"I wish you hadn't," Sensible sighed. "Now what's going to happen when he leaves? You'll be heartbroken all over again!"

"No you won't," soothed Reckless. "You'll be content in the knowledge you got everything out of it that you could, and you can part ways as Assassin and beggar."

_Beggar_, Lilliana thought sadly. _Such a delightful term._

"See what I mean?" snapped Sensible. "You'll go back to living on the street, lonely and dejected, and you'll never ever see him again for as long as you live!"

"Yes," Reckless seemed to agree. "Yes…you need to do something about that! Follow him! Better yet, join his ranks! You have the power and skill – and now the connections!"

Sensible groaned. "That wasn't what I was implying."

_No, but that's a good idea_, Lilliana thought.

"No, it's not!" Sensible protested. "It's stupid and irresponsible and reckless!"

"_Exactly_!" Reckless applauded its name. "If you join the Assassins, you get to stay with Ezio _and_ hunt down the man that killed your family! You'll have the best trainers and combatants at your side!"

_Yes_! Lilliana nodded, eagerness building inside of her. _An excellent plan!_

She awoke to the soft sunlight wriggling past the cloth above her head, painting her skin gold and lighting her auburn hair a pale red. She blinked a few times, clearing the remaining of sleep from her eyes before stretching out her limbs and banishing the lingering drowsiness from her body. As she stretched, she very quickly recalled what had happened last night. With those memories in her mind she pulled the blanket covering her tighter around her form, blushing as she realised she wasn't wearing any clothes.

"Wait, hold up," Sensible frowned. "_What _blanket?"

Lilliana inspected the covering more closely, and her eyes widened as she noticed that it was in fact Ezio's white cape that had been draped from his shoulder down over his arm. It only reached from her chest to the top of her thighs, so she had to spread it widely over her exposed skin when she sat up.

"Ezio?" she smiled, turning to where he had slept with her that afternoon. Only the walls of the wooden structure were to be found, and a small bundle of items tucked away amongst the extra cloth in the corner.

Her brow furrowed. Perhaps he was just outside, making sure the coast was clear? She sighed and ditched the cape, shuffling forward naked to look at the pack of items left in the corner of the space. At the bottom was a very fine pale blue gown, with a thick underskirt and ruffled sleeves. She sat it to the side, awed by its beauty, and picked up a small knife hooked onto an intricate silver lace arm- bangle. It was a prettier, more delicate version of Ezio's hidden blade. A tiny note was rolled inside it, and Lilliana very carefully took it out and scanned over the words:

_Dearest Lilliana Abandonato,_

_Although our time together was brief – yet very enjoyable indeed, you are well aware I have other duties to attend to. As an Assassin I have responsibilities that need to be fulfilled; I hope you can forgive me. I have left with you a dress, knife and small bag of florins. I hope this should cover some of your needs. I would also like to offer my condolences for your family as we were interrupted during our conversation; I am deeply sorry for what happened to them. I hope you can continue to find your way in the world, and maybe one day we may meet again._

_Ezio Auditore_

Lilliana had to read it several times before the words sank in. He was gone; her only lead to the man who killed her family. She could scarcely believe it; he had rescued her, slept with her and then ditched her all in one day! First she was deeply upset, but then the anger started seeping in like sand through the hourglass. How could he do this to her? As if a small collection of items could make up for him abandoning her! She almost laughed. She should have expected something like this from someone like him! She furiously pulled on the dress and scraped the arm-bangle up over her hand, onto her wrist. Stuffing the note and the small bag of florins into her underskirt she climbed out of the structure and into the dazzling sunlight.

She was going to find him, make him pay for leaving her like this; filling her heart with hope and desires, only to crush them again just after they'd bloomed. She would join his ranks and get her revenge on the Templar man who destroyed her life. She would fix these broken strings of hers and let her heart beat loud once more.

Lilliana squared her shoulders and set her jaw. No more moping in the streets without love or a dream, no more laying around while murderers walked free. She had finally found her calling, she finally had a plan. She was going to find Ezio Auditore, and become what she now knew in her heart she was always meant to be.

_TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER_

"What do you think, _signorina_?" her maid asked her, smoothing out the creases of the dress and making sure the corset was pulled tight at the back.

"I think it's beautiful," Lilliana replied, smiling sadly. "Utterly stunning, Eloisa."

"I would like to congratulate you on your wedding day, if it isn't too bold of me," the brunette beamed. "I wish you everlasting happiness, _signorina, _I really do; Alessandro is a wonderful man."

His name snagged in her throat. "Yes, he is," was all she could manage without heaving.

Several years had passed since Lilliana's encounter with Ezio Auditore, and since the fire in her heart had begun burning again. After he had left her on that rooftop she had spent a lot of time gathering information on his whereabouts, running all over Firenze and many other cities in order to collect facts and make connections. But Ezio was an elusive man, and she had failed miserably to catch him wherever he was. She had then decided perhaps it would be better to stay in one place, and let the information come to her. What better place was there to hear gossip from the most powerful men in Italy than _La Rosa Colta_?

She worked there for more than two years, and eventually managed to catch a man in the best position of power for her so she could learn the whereabouts of her missing Assassin. Unfortunately, although not surprisingly, this man was a Templar. She stayed with him for many months as his _personal cortigiana_. She was then in no position to refuse his marriage proposal, and she had not yet acquired the information she needed from him. He would have three wives now, but he promised her she was the prettiest. His flattery disgusted her and she would always politely leave the room whenever he had family guests. Only very occasionally would she have to eavesdrop on Alessandro's conversations; he genuinely though she was quite dumb and let her sit in on his important meetings; she always played her part perfectly.

But now she felt trapped. Still not obtained enough information on Ezio's whereabouts and an hour or so away from being married, Lilliana was in a tight situation. What if she had chosen the wrong man to seduce? What if she was to never find out where her Assassin had disappeared to and she would have to spend the rest of her life with a slug like Alessandro? Would she ever avenge her family's death?

"_Signorina_?" Eloisa's concerned voice brought her back to the present. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine," she forced a smile and let her maid lace fine necklace around her throat. "I was just thinking about…"

She trailed off and the maid stopped what she was doing, looking up in confusion. "What _were_ you thinking about?" she asked, intrigued.

"Nothing," Lilliana snapped, and her face crumpled when she saw Eloisa avert her eyes, fingers shaking around a hair pin.

"I am sorry, _signorina_, I should not have been so disrespectful," Eloisa whispered, her eyes wet.

"_Mi dispiace tanto, Eloisa_!" she gasped her apologies for being so harsh. "I didn't mean it to come out that way!"

"It is alright, _signorina_," the maid wiped her forest eyes, smiling. "I do not mind."

Lilliana retreated to the safety of her own thoughts while Eloisa continued to lace up her wedding dress at the sleeves. It was a very fine gown indeed; the bodice was tight around her waist and chest and then from underneath a waterfall of soft white material flowed out into a floor-length skirt. The train stretched out a good half metre behind her, and her veil was pulled back so it came down to her hips in length. Her sleeves came down only to her elbows but were laced up the sides and tied in a tight bow at the bottom.

She had had many a good wash while living with Alessandro, and now she was clean of the street and her hair was no longer lank. It fell in heavy auburn curls down the right side of her body, obscuring the scar that would have been painfully visible on her collarbone. She hadn't cut her hair in a long while; it reached almost to her waist now.

Too add the final touch to her dress, Eloisa handed her a wrapped bunch of white lilies (after Lilliana's name) and stood back to admire her handiwork. Lilliana looked at herself in the mirror and sighed, trying to cover up her overwhelming unhappiness from her jubilant maid_. If only I was marrying a man I loved_, she thought miserably. _Then I could take pride in how I look today._

"I won't be a moment, _signorina_," Eloisa smiled, bustling out of the room through the doors on her right. Lilliana was left standing in the vast emptiness of her bedroom, trying to wipe the tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. The room itself had no personal qualities in it; there was a large wardrobe and mirror in the corner next to a lavish four-poster bed, hardly slept upon. Lilliana couldn't get used to its soft quilts and cavernous mattress, and often slept on the window seat decorated with plump purple cushions. Apart from a dressing table and stool tucked away on the far left wall, there was nothing else in here apart from heavily patterned rugs. If one were to look under the bed, there were several scrapes along the slats holding it up; one for every day she had been here.

How many more would she have to carve into the wood? Would she run out of space? Would she have to move to the floorboards under the rugs, scratch and score until there was no wood left?

She kept telling herself it was all for her family, she had to keep going and never give up. But it all seemed so hopeless now; where was Ezio? The man who had stolen her heart and then ran away with it? The man who could help her get revenge on Templar who had taken all the ones she'd loved away from her? The man who held all the answers…

Where was he now?

"I told you this was stupid, you should never have done it in the first place!" shouted Sensible. "But did you listen? No! Now look at where you are, stuck between a cliff and a forest fire!"

For once, Reckless was silent. Had Lilliana made the biggest mistake of her life?

"So, Lilliana," continued Sensible. "It's your choice and your choice only. Which do you chose: run and burn all over again, or jump and die?"

_I don't know!_ She thought, the weight of the decision heavy on her shoulders_. If I leave I'll have nowhere to go, and I'll probably never be able to show my face in public again in case Alessandro catches me. Without the information on Ezio's whereabouts, I can't head anywhere until I find him. But if I stay, I might be here forever…without ever finding Ezio again, and the man who killed my famil_y.

Again, Sensible spoke up, while Reckless hung its head in the shadows.

"So which is it to be, Lilliana?"

"I don't know," she whispered out loud, the tears slipping down her cheeks and down under her chin.

"I'm sorry," Reckless murmured, and Sensible shot it a dark look. "This is all my fault."

"No, it's not, it's - I don't know anymore!" she gasped out suddenly in the silence of her chamber. "I can't – I don't want to – " She took in great gulps of air to calm herself down. If anyone had been in the bedroom they would have seen the beautiful bride arguing with herself in the mirror opposite, and deemed her completely insane.

Sensible shook its head. "No, stop it. You need to end this; you need to decide –_right_ _now_."

Lilliana shook her head and pressed her fists against her closed eyes. _How can I?_ She thought. _It's a doubled-edged knife! If I run I'll be back where I started, if I don't I may never get what I need and die without ever avenging my family. What should I do?_

"It's time," Sensible nodded, and Lilliana lowered her hands, blinking away the tears from her silvery eyes and locking them with the ones in her reflection. "What's it to be? Do you run through the fire and flames… or take the plunge?"

Lilliana breathed in deeply, feeling her heart ricochet around inside her chest.

"Oh, you'll _never_ guess!"

A female voice from outside her door caused Lilliana to look up in surprise. It wasn't Eloisa's, and she would recognise all the other maids and guests that had come and gone. So who was this? Lilliana moved towards the door – all her troubles left behind in her reflection in the mirror – and leaned against it, pressing her ear to the wood to hear their conversation better. She'd got good at this over time, and didn't make a sound as they continued.

"He's back!" the stranger breathed. "I saw him down at the market today, and he _smiled_ at me!"

"Oh, that handsome man in white robes?" Eloisa chirruped. Lilliana's eyes widened. "Yes! I know - I practically fainted when he walked past me today!"

They dissolved into girlish giggles and Lilliana rolled her eyes. _Hurry up and get to the point!_ She yelled internally. _Who is the man in white robes? _They finally managed to regain their composure, and, luckily for Lilliana, continued their discussion.

"Some say he's an outlaw!" exclaimed the stranger.

"I heard that too!" gasped Eloisa. "Apparently, he's an _Assassin_!"

Lilliana drew back sharply from the door. Could Ezio have returned to Firenze? Could she finally catch him after all this time? She hurried to press her side against the wood again, hungry for information. The two women beyond the door were unknowingly obliging, and continued to raise the bride's hopes even further.

"People say he spends a lot of time at that funny little artist's house," the stranger remarked. "I don't know why; Leonardo is an odd man."

Eloisa giggled excitedly. "Do you think he'll come and save us from this place?"

"Who, _Leonardo_?"

Lilliana held back a snort of laughter.

"No, silly!" sighed Eloisa. "_Ezio Auditore_."

As soon as his name had left her lips Lilliana thrust the door open and stormed through to her maid, who had gone pale with fright. The woman next to her was now revealed; she had soft blonde curls, equally soft blue eyes and wore a simple worker's dress of brown and white cloth. As soon as she saw Lilliana coming toward her she breathed a quick farewell to Eloisa and stumbled over her own feet in an attempt to flee the bride's apparent wrath. Lilliana dismissed her form sprinting away down the stairs and turned to her maid, taking her gently by the shoulders.

"Tell me everything, Eloisa, _per favore_," Lilliana murmured, gazing deep into her maid's forest green eyes. A sparkle of fear danced there, but more so curiosity. "Tell me everything you know about Ezio Auditore."

It took Eloisa quite a while to get the words out. When she did, however, it made Lilliana's heart swell with hope. "He came back into Firenze a few days ago I think; I am not sure where he stays but he often goes to visit Leonardo da Vinci in his workshop in town in the afternoon. I'm sorry, _signorina_, that's all I know!"

Lilliana sighed in satisfaction and embraced her maid, who still hadn't relaxed. "Thank you Eloisa," she smiled, pulling away and heading for her bedroom. "I would also advise you to quit your post today, you won't want to be working here in the next…hour? Thank you for all your help, you have been most informative."

Leaving the shocked maid standing outside her bedroom with a very confused expression on her face, Lilliana slammed the door to her bedchamber closed and locked it, then brought her foot up and kicked off the handles. She couldn't miss this opportunity, she might never get another. How ironic; she had been going to marry a man for information her maid could've provided! She rushed over to her dressing table and rummaged around in bottom drawer, her hand closing around the silver arm-bangle Ezio hand left her. Slipping it on over her wrist, she dashed to the far window by her bed and flung it open.

Immediately a warm gust of air burst into the room and Lilliana sighed in relief.

"See?" Reckless said, elbowing Sensible. "Look how happy she is now!"

"Shut up," muttered Sensible, eyes on the floor. "Anyway, how is she ever going to get out of the window in _that_ dress?"

"Like this," laughed Lilliana, grapping the frame and swinging out feet-first.

That day was an odd day for the people of Firenze; first there was that strange carnival of jesters juggling fruit in the market place, then that guard party running through the alley behind the blacksmith's without any clothes on and then finally the striking young woman in a gown of white, rushing through the streets as her train billowed out like angel wings behind her. Any guards who tried to oppose her were thrown to the ground, a silver blade flashing in the sun and scarlet blood spattering across her snowy dress. She was laughing; her lips curved up into the most beautiful smile, her veil flowing out around her shoulders.

"So can you build it?" Ezio asked, weary with lack of sleep.

"I can build anything, you know that!" chuckled da Vinci, rolling up the blueprints Ezio had brought with him and glancing about his workshop. "But you look tired, and this will take a while. Why don't you rest here while I work?"

Ezio nodded, grinning. "Thank you. You are a good friend, Leonardo."

He shrugged off Ezio's kind words and smiled. "Any time."

It was at that exact moment the door to the house burst open and a young woman appeared on Leonardo's doorstep. Her auburn curls were tangled up in her bride's veil, exposing a nasty scar on her collarbone. Her dress was stained in many shades of red - some dried, some still wet. She walked barefoot and the hem of her gown was marked with dirt. Her train stretched out behind her, softening the sunlight streaming in through the open door. On her right arm was a very stylish, very familiar silver bangle.

Leonardo, after the initial shock of her entrance, broke into a wide smile - a little like the one brightening his guest's face. He snuck a look at Ezio; the Assassin was utterly speechless. Da Vinci laughed.

"You must be Lilliana Abandonato, _si_?" he stepped forward, bowing low as way of introduction. "I am Leonardo da Vinci."

"It is nice to meet you," Lilliana answered him but her eyes were on Ezio, unwavering, unblinking. "But I am afraid I did not come for you, _signor_."

"Oh, I know," smirked da Vinci, his eyes glancing over to Ezio who still stood motionless on his right. "I shall excuse myself and get to work on my latest project. _Addio, signorina_ Lilliana!" With one last glance at the young woman in his doorway and the bedraggled Assassin in his livingroom, he chuckled quietly and made his way through to the back.

There was a silence so thick you could literally slice it with a knife. Lilliana's smile had faded and her stormy grey eyes burned holes in Ezio's hazel ones. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, although the muscles in his face had tensed up like he was trying not to speak. She was vaguely aware he had bought a new cape for his arm after leaving his last with her, but the thought was distant and far from the front of her mind. The stare-down continued for a further five minutes, until Lilliana broke the silence with the words she'd rehearsed for so long.

"Well?" she snapped. "Surprised to see me, _Assassino_?"

"Lilliana," Ezio began. "I didn't – "

As soon as he started speaking she strode across the room and slapped him hard across the face. "You _bastard_!" She shrieked. "You left me on a rooftop with a note, a dress and a knife! Do you _really_ think that was enough? You'd brought back faith into my life, on the darkest day Firenze had seen all year when the rain was like tears pouring from the sky. You had made me believe again, that I was loved, that there was still hope. Then you wrenched it all back out of my life as quickly as you'd brought it in."

Her tone lowered in disgust as she came to end of her speech. "You were like an angel, an escape, from the horror I was drowning in. Now look at what you've done."

Ezio raised his head, the side of his face burning red from her palm. "I am truly sorry, Lilliana. What could I have done?"

"You could have taken me with you!" she cried out, her heart beating fast, her hands perspiring.

"But you weren't ready," he said quietly.

That threw her off balance. "What?"

"Of course I was going to take you with me, Lilliana," said Ezio gently, his face crumpled, the tiredness showing through. "But I could see you could not handle it yet."

"Of course I could!" she argued back, but her anger was fading. Now that she was here, standing in front of him and he was saying these words, she wasn't mad at him anymore. She should be infuriated, outraged, but he really seemed to care. She was just so exhausted, and after all this preparation she had found him at last.

"How about I apologize a thousand times, and I'll help you train as an Assassin?" asked Ezio, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. She used to find it irritating but now it was comforting, and her heart strings were plucked at like a harp's when she saw it. "You will have me grovelling at your feet for the next few weeks and you will eventually be able to avenge the death of your family – with my help, of course."

Lilliana's face crumpled, the tears leaking down her cheeks. She gave up, all her horrid feelings melting away and leaving behind only pure, unparalleled happiness. The seemingly endless waiting was finally finished, for just this one moment. It was all worth it. She nodded, managing a smile. "Deal," she gasped through her tears, and rushed to kiss him.

"Are you _crying_?" asked Reckless, trying to get a look at Sensible, who was struggling to hide its face.

"No, don't be so absurd," sniffed Sensible. "Of course I'm not _crying, _you fool."

"Okay, whatever you say," grinned Reckless.

"Everyone cries at happy endings!" blurted Sensible, full-out weeping now.

Reckless laughed. "Not me!"

"How so?"

"Cause I make 'em."

"Oh, _shut up_."

"Yeah, you talk such crap."

Sensible and Reckless turned to see another character enter. It smiled and waved. "_Ciao_! My name is Optimism!"

The original pair glanced at each other.

"Is she even_ allowed _to make new Leading emotions?" Sensible asked, frowning.

"No idea," replied Reckless, walking over to Optimism. "Hey buddy; you really strict on what's right and wrong?" Reckless glanced back at Sensible as it spoke, who rolled its eyes.

"Nope!" Optimism replied brightly. "I think even bad decisions can turn out good in the end! You just have to keep going!"

Reckless raised its eyebrows at Sensible, who breathed a resigned sigh and shook its head. Grinning, Reckless slung an arm around Optimism's shoulder. "Then we'll get on _just fine_."


End file.
